Organizations seeking the best talent will find that pre-employment testing can be a valuable tool. All companies can benefit from pre-employment tests to improve their ability to manage the vast number of candidates who apply for open positions. Although technology may have contributed to the rise in applications, pre-employment testing can be integrated into the hiring process.
Research has shown that cognitive aptitude tests can be far more accurate in predicting job performance, than any other criteria. A aptitude test is twice as predictive and three times as prescriptive as job interviews. It's four times predictive of education level.
Aptitude tests measure critical thought, problem solving, and the ability of learning, digesting, and applying new information. Cognitive aptitude tests measure an applicant's brainpower and general intelligence. According to one study 70% of employers look for problem-solvers, while 63% seek out candidates with analytical skills. These skills can be difficult to evaluate using only resumes and interviews. This is where aptitude tests come in. Aptitude tests can also be used in any type of occupational setting, but they are most useful for those at mid- to higher-level jobs. Aptitude tests test the skills that are most crucial to job performance in a broad range of fields. Therefore, aptitude is the single best predictor for job performance.
Personality tests answer the following question: Are they comfortable in this role and what are their strengths? Is the candidate able to demonstrate the behavior traits necessary for success in this position. Personality tests do not have a set of right and wrong answers. This is in contrast to aptitude tests. These tests are used to assess whether people have certain behavioral characteristics that last a lifetime. Employers can use these traits as a way to predict whether candidates are compatible with the culture and position.
While personality tests have become increasingly popular among HR professionals and others, there are still a lot of misconceptions about what these tests are and how to use them.
Figure 1 - When it comes down to predicting job performances, aptitude tests are twice so predictive as job interviews.
There are many types and types of preemployment tests. This eBook will focus on five main types of pre-employment assessments: Aptitude and Personality, Emotional Intelligence, Risk and Skills.